Any suggestions on a good creeper? There are a lot of them out there at various price points.

I can get pick one up at the local autoparts store for 19.99 that seems to have so-so construction or I can spend over $100 for some of the fancy ones on ebay .. e.g. Bones etc.

 

You work for the USPS? My dad had 32 years.
I have a $29 cheapo with metal wheels that stick on lint, spend the money as this is a lifetime tool you buy once.
.....=o&o>.....

 

Bones creepers are real nice. I know a lot of places have the wooden ones, they break all the time. I bought one from Summit Racing for $30 and it doesn't get hung up on bolts and what not.

 

Well, here's what I did.

Most creepers are made by the same company, or at least have the same manufacturers sticker on the back. So, I bought a $40 creeper from Canadian Tire about 8 years ago. It did the job well enough. I think the sticker on the back said Whiteside or something like that. The front said "Pitstop". Anyway, about 5 years ago, I got into my current trade, and the wheels were getting stuck on everything. So I bought some Snap On wheels (black, if you're wondering, they have the lifetime warranty, the red ones don't.) Anyway, once I got the new wheels on there, the thing was unstopable. About 3 years ago, I had to replace the plastic cover with vinyl, because the plastic had too many rips in it. Shortly afterwards, while I was away from work, someone borrowed it, and ran it over with a Kenworth. The frame was straightened, but it just wasn't the same. I put up with it like that until about 6 months ago.

I've now got a 6 wheeled creeper from the same company, with what looks to be stronger welds, but crappy wheels. One wheel had the bearings fall out after 2 weeks, and now looks like a pizza cutter. But I'm waiting until it gets too unbearable before I buck up for 6 new black Snap On wheels.

Oh, yeah, they are both 36".

Just an option you could go. Get a cheap creeper, and buy good wheels.

As for the tilting headrest, that's up to you. I've never had a good experience with them though. Borrowing one at work, to lower it, you'd have to raise it all the way, and sometimes, there just isn't any room to do that. And the other one, it has a release handle, but you have to be off the creeper to access the stupid thing.

Or, you could get a $200 Snap On with 4" casters, and you could park a Hino on it. My brother in law did that to his by mistake, rolled the truck off it, and the thing still rolled like nothing happened.

 

Speaking of running over a creeper, I had my "good one($$)" for one day and ran over it. I straightened it as well as I could and it still "works"... Getting way too old to crawl around under vehicles anymore tho.

 

I'm only 53, 2 years ago in the winter for 6 weeks I made a full custom dual exhaust, damn that grounds getting harder, wetter and colder with age.
We need a 4 post lift in a heated garage! The garage is packed with crap, mill, welders 7 bikes has only 7'2" headroom, oops lifts out.
.....=o&o>.....

 

Once you get a creeper you'll never go back. It sure beats sliding around my garage floor in a puddle of 10w30.

I've got a nice craftsman. I like it well enough, but I have come to find that I get myself caught in the exposed casters pretty often. They'll pinch you pretty good. Unavoidable though unless you have something like the Bone.

Cheapies and homeades don't work well for me. I've been known to get a bit angry and throw them. Glad mine has a tube frame, otherwise it would get expensive.

 

I am 52 and gave up on crawling around much a few years ago. I used one of the cheapo wooden ones for years but when it finally broke I bought a good one only to be soooo tired one day after using it I drove over it. Talk about some words!!! The old wooden one I used had a block of wood under the bottom edge so it was easier to sit down on without it flipping. When I was finally all the way down on it the wood block cleared the floor. Just a slight mod that made it easier to use. My metal one is longer and I don't have that problem. It sure is heavier but more comfortable than the old wood one was. The new metal one has 6 wheels also and they almost roll too easy. It is sometimes difficult to get the needed friction with the ground to twist on a bolt.

 

I have the heavier-duty "bone" creeper and I like it a lot. I don't really have any other creeper to compare it to - but I have had to use it outside in a stone driveway, and it did fine - better than 2b stones embedded in your rear!

 

I heard good things about the bone creeper. I personally have one from Sam's club that I payed $40 for. The main reason I bought it was the size of the seat because im a big guy and plus it is light because it is made of aluminum.

 

Thanks for the creeper comments gents ... sounds like good wheels are important .. 6 of them better ... bones a likely candidate as well ..

 

quality wheels are especially important if you use floor dry, one spec of that stuff will stop most $30 creepers. the larger the wheel, the more it takes to stop it. as for the headrest, we have 1 with and 1 without in our shop. the creeper with the headrest is always in use somewhere, the other is used second

 

got mine 7years ago from craftsman...the one that will lift up and support your back when you work on taller rigs...its made by the same company that makes snap-on creepers but hundreds cheaper

 

I've heard really good things about the bone creeper, but the only time I saw one used, was by Jay Leno, on a show dealing with his shop. It uses bigger tires to roll easier. Otherwise, I did a HF creeper (same chinese factory as so many others) and got the two guys garage wheels (don't have link on this system), that have brushes by the wheels, to push anything out of the way.